Kauli SEADI made a perfect start to the season with a crucial single elimination victory over Cabo Verdian favourite Josh ANGULO at the Cabo Verde PWA World Cup.

The 25 year old Brazilian Kauli SEADI thundered into the event lead with a skilled display in tricky, light wind conditions, to give an instant return on his new sponsor's investment.

Day two started with smaller surf and light breeze meeting the early high tide. The head judge chose to run the early heats of the double elimination first to give the finalists the best conditions later in the morning. Eventually he opted for a 40-minute heat duration for that final, counting the best two wave rides from each of the final four.

The fluky wind truly tested the finalists' fitness and ability to catch waves and not get caught inside on the razor sharp reef.

Jason POLAKOW (AUS) went for it with his aggressive vertical attack, but paid the price for pushing it with a couple of trips to the rocks. POLAKOW's big-wave partner Robby SWIFT (GBR) pressured his team mate hard for third position with a smoother style, but in truth he also struggled in the smaller swell.

Josh ANGULO (CPV) was always going to be a major threat here after his historic victory last season.

"It was a total battle out there" explained ANGULO. "I tried to go for a really powerful and vertical attack and look for the shorter rides and big hits on the main peak where I was hanging out.

"Everyone was scratching around to catch the good sets and outdo the other to lock into a decent wave.

"I know it was close and I didn't even look at the scores. It's tough you know. You always strive for first, and it kind of tastes a little strange to come second, especially after last year, but its not over yet and there's more swell coming later in the week so we'll see what happens."

SEADI chose different tactics to ANGULO to wrap-up the victory, including one spectacular aerial over SWIFT who was swimming in the impact zone.

"I tried to go for the ones that opened-up into longer bowlier sections and do a mix of turns and connect the ride all the way down the reef," said the 2007 World Champion.

"It was so tricky to catch the waves out there, and I'm happy to start the season this way and take the lead.

"I hear there's some more surf coming but I'm not sure what the wind will do so we'll be waiting and watching the next few days to see how it pans out."

After the final some early heats of the double elimination were run and there were a few big names spewed out by up-and-coming talent.

Levi SIVER (USA) was the first victim of an on-form Jonas CEBALLOS (ESP), and Marcilio BROWNE (BRA), who fully made-up for a stuttering start in the single elimination. Next to fall was Nik BAKER (GBR) who had a tough time in the fading conditions against light wind specialists Thomas TRAVERSA (FRA) and Camille JUBAN (FRA).

Boujmaa GUILLOUL (MAR) was also ejected in that heat despite throwing some outrageous Goytas right onto the rocks. But TRAVERSA scored wave of the day with perfect timing and a flowing rhythmic groove connecting all his turns together.

By mid-afternoon the waves were too small and breaking dangerously close to the rocks, and the head judge decided it was too unsafe to continue. After staying on hold until the end of the day, competition was called off and skippers' meeting was set for 10:00 tomorrow. The forecast is not that great until later in the week, but it's likely the crew will scout around the island for some alternative spots in the morning.

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Melbourne, Australia will host the final Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification regatta in 2015. With just under one year until the event, the 2015 IFDS Worlds was launched at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne.

ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne kick starts the journey to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with qualification spots and top ranking points available in the Australian city.

Four boats in the Volvo Ocean Race celebrated rounding the venerated landmark of Cape Horn on Monday, a pleasure cruelly denied Dongfeng Race Team (Charles Caudrelier/FRA) after the Chinese boat's mast was broken early in a dramatic day on Leg 5.

The wind played dirty tricks all day in Palma on the sailors and race committees who had to juggle with big shifts and different pressure. From 4 to 20 knots, and reaching 40 in some gusts, the wind turned around the bay playing with everybody's nerves.

Ghosting across the line in the inky blackness of a Mediterranean spring night, finally slicing through the finish line set on the very waters where some 40 odd years ago he cut his teeth as a young, aspiring sailor harbouring great dreams, at 01:47:00hrs local time Guillermo Altadill and his talented, ever reliable Chilean co-skipper Jose Muñoz secured second placed in this third edition of the Barcelona World Race, the round the world race for two crew which left the Catalan capital on December 31st 2014.

Algoa Bay brought lighter conditions on Sunday, and after a postponement waiting for the wind to settle, the race got underway in 7 knots of breeze from the south-east. Ted Conrads and Brian Haines from the USA were the pathfinders, and opened up the gate for the fleet as they sailed out to the right-hand side of the course.